Sunday, 02 September 2007

  • Friends // Toxic (Part 2)

    Yesterday, we talked about how the friends you choose to associate with impact your relationship with God and the destiny He has planned for you. Today, we are going to talk about sharpening one another and talk about Daniel's friends.
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    *All the following quotes are from Joel Osteen (unless biblical).

    Proverbs 27:17:
    "As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend."

    "Our friends should be sharpening us. Some of you have outgrown your circle of friends. They for fine for a time, you blessed them and they blessed you, but now God's trying to increase you and those friends are holding you back. They were in your life for a season, but you've grown, you've come up to a higher level, and if you're going to continue to rise, you have to break out of the rut and cultivate some new friendships."

    You see? We are supposed to sharpen each other. You may have outgrown a circle of friends (big or small). Those friends are not sharpening you or blessing you anymore. You don't need to stay around that circle of friends for long. I'm not saying you should drop them, but you need to start spending less and less time with them. You need to be around people who will sharpen you and hold you accountable for what you do. They need to be stronger than you so they can help you grow in your walk with Christ. You have to find those new friends and start spending time with them so you can continue to grow.

    "Could it be today that the thing that's holding you back is you don't have the right people in your life. You don't have anyone inspiring you, anybody that's modeling what you want."

    "If you are going to become all that God wants you to be, you're gonna have to eliminate any kind of toxic relationships."

    Those friends are holding you back from your blessing and destiny! You need friends that inspire you to do better than you are, that model the very thing you are searching for. You need to eliminate those friends who aren't doing anything for you. Like I said yesterday, you may be encouraging them, but they are not encouraging you. You are sharpening them, but they are sharpening you. You are giving them all your best, but they are not taking it and doing better!

    "God has already ordained the right people to come into your life, but you'll never meet them if you're constantly hanging around the wrong people."

    "Daniel hung out with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. No wonder Daniel was a person of excellence. His friends were people of courage, people of integrity, people that wouldn't compromise, people that had a big dream for their life! You need to make sure that the people you hang out with have the qualities you want."

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    This series is TO BE CONTINUED... Tomorrow, we will talk about gossiping friends; you becoming like the friends you hang around; what a godly friend is; and a little prayer. Stay tuned for the conclusion of this series tomorrow, and always feel free to state your opinions or concerns. God bless!

    In Christ,
    Rod
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